Blind date
by fairytaleofdust
Summary: AU - Their mothers met on a yoga class and decided to exchange their phone numbers. What they didn't know is that from that weird situation, something great would come up. **Keenler**


"Ressler" he answered the phone as he always does. Firm, using his last name, like the serious FBI agent that he is.

"Donnie, honey, is your mother" nothing ruins your adult seriousness like your mother calling you by that dreadful nickname only she uses, and you are sure she does it to embarrass you. He looked around to ensure no one was paying attention.

"Hey, mom. what is it?"

"Don't talk to me like that" He rolled his eye, like he always does.

"Like what, mom?"

"Like I only call you to ask you something. Can I check on my son for a change?"

"Are you just checking on me?"

A pause and he chuckled, because he knew his mother wanted something.

"Well, I'm calling you to give you good news, actually" she sounded excited and anxious at the same time, so he knew the good news probably involved him doing something around the house that was too complicated and would take up his whole Saturday, or she fixing up with some of her friend's daughters.

"I just met the most adorable lady on my yoga class, her name is Kate, and she has a lovely daughter" A-ha! Fixing up it is. Since his long time girlfriend Audrey left him, his mother lost hope that he would ever find another girlfriend, he was married to the job, so she had been trying to find him one amongst the daughters of her friends from yoga, or the club. At first he thought it cute, and actually dated some of the girls, but after 3 failed dates, he stopped considering it, but she never stopped trying.

"Mom, for God's sake, why do you keep doing that? I'm perfectly capable of finding a date on my own." He hasn't had many dates on his own, but that's not the point.

"Listen, Donnie, just listen. I agree, the last one wasn't a good plan, but..."

"A good plan, mom! that crazy woman still calls me in the middle of the night!"

"Alright, alright! It's different now, Donnie. Give it a chance, will ya? I'm getting old..." Ah, the *getting old and want a grand kid before I go to heaven* card. "and you are my only son, my beautiful, dear son, I just want you to be happy! And give me some grand kids before I pass."

"Mom!" he whined a bit, pressing his fingers on his eyes, wishing he could just hang up. He decided it was best to just let her talk.

"Ok, I promise this time it's a good idea. Her name is Elizabeth, she's a psychology major, she's actually trying to get into the FBI, see? You have something in common already. She's a sweetheart, I saw her picture, and her mom, oh, Donnie, she's so classy! She's Russian, we went out for tea, what an interesting woman."

"Are you trying to hook me up with the mother or the daughter, mom?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Donald! Now, I'll text you her number, her name is Elizabeth Keen. You call her up, you hear me? For your mother. Promise me."

He sighed, annoyed, and then confirmed. "Alright mom. send me her number. Have a nice day!" His mother hung up, and he shoved his phone into his pocket. A few minutes later is vibrated with the message, but he didn't bother looking at it.

xx-x-x-x-x-

"Mom, I'm home" Liz came home and took her shoes out as soon as she entered, so tired she could fall asleep immediately, if only she wasn't also dying for a shower and some food. Quantico was more hard work than she expected, but it was also as exciting.

"Lizzy, my dear, c'mon, I'm in the kitchen!"

"Hi!" Liz sighed as she sat on the stool in front of the counter to observe her mother cooking. The whole kitchen smelled so good she felt her stomach growl in response.

"How was your day, my dear?" her mother asked, always so interested in her life. It had been like this since her disastrous 6 months marriage, when she was forced to move back with her.

"It was good. I'm so tired, but it was very good. I think they like me, mom. One of the tutors mentioned they are looking for new recruits for the behavioral department, and I sensed it was about me."

"Behavioral department, hun?"

"Yes!" Liz explained, stealing a tomato from the salad her mother was preparing and putting into her mouth. "So I'll work as a profiler. It's a great job, and they require psychology major and experience, which I have."

"And is that a job completely in office?" her mother looked at her from over her glasses, and Liz chuckled.

"I don't know, mom. I wouldn't mind some field work."

"For God's sake, Elizabeth, do you want to kill your mother?"

"Don't be so dramatic, Mrs. Scott!" she laughed, and then went to her mother to give her a kiss. "I'm going to take a shower, ok?"

She was about to leave the kitchen when her mother called her back.

"Oh, yes, I forgot. I met a lovely lady this morning at that yoga class I told you about, we went out and had a chat, it was great!"

"Nice to see you making friends, mom! it's good to go out there" She had been very worried about her mother ever since her father, Sam, died.

"Well, Lucy, that's her name, she has a son who's an FBI agent. We thought it would be a good idea for you two to talk, maybe he can tell you about the work or something."

"Ugh, mom, really?" she knew her mother meant for it to be a date.

"Honey, you need to get over that piece of trash Tom Keen, once and for all!" That she couldn't agree more. Her marriage to Tom Keen had been a trainwreck. They met, fell in love, got married and hated each other in an interval of 1 year. She just didn't know if she was ready yet to get out there. "Anyway, I gave her your number, she said she would give it to him. So, if he calls, be nice, will ya?"

She hoped that guy never calls. "What's his name?" she tried to sound interested, but it was very hard to hide her contempt.

"Donald Ressler."

"Wow, mom, you are really setting me up with a guy named Donald? Is that what you want for your daughter?"

"Be nice, Elizabeth! now go, take your shower, dinner will be ready soon."

x-x-xx-x-x-x-x

One week went by, and no call, so she completely forgot about the guy her mother was trying to set her up. Specially when she was called for an interview with Assistant director Cooper at the FBI headquarters in DC. It was all she could think of.

She was so nervous that day that she brought every reference letter, every diploma and whatever she could think would be relevant for the interview. She came into the FBI headquarters rushing, scared she would get caught up in security or something would go horribly wrong.

Security went by easily, but she was still rushing, so distracted that she didn't notice there was someone coming out of the elevator as she stepped in. They collided and all her things flew around her from her bag.

"Oh, shit!" she cursed, and immediately froze, scared that whoever she had bumped into would be a high officer or someone and that was definitely not the best first impression. She looked at him scared, but he smiled and kneeled down to help her gather her things, so she breathed out relieved.

"In a rush, hun?" he asked, as he reached for another paper and then handed the pile to her, still smiling as she arranged it neatly into the folder and put it into her bag again. As she stood up, he reached for her hand to help her and she looked up at him, embarrassed. The sun was beaming through the windows, hitting the freckles on his face and his clean blue eyes, and that made her heart flutter.

"Thanks. I have... I have an interview" she explained, shaking his hand, although she didn't know exactly why, as they hadn't introduced to each other.

"Ah! Good luck then!" he remained shaking her hand, and laughed as she just stared at their hands together, and then looked up at him and finally pulled her hand down.

"Oh, God!" she whined, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. Who are you talking to?"

"Assistant Director Cooper?" she frowned, as he whistled.

"Tough guy, but he likes honesty. So be honest, and you'll do fine." she took a deep breath, and then smiled at him, as a thank you.

Their eyes met and that brought butterflies to her stomach, but she fought to concentrate on her first objective there, turning to press the button to call the elevator again.

"Careful with the people coming out next time" he pointed at the elevator, and then crossed behind her to go his way. He stopped a few steps forward and turned on his heels.

"What's your name, rookie?" he asked, squinting because of the sun in his eyes.

"Elizabeth. Elizabeth Keen." she reached to shake his hand, and then realized she had done it already.

"Agent Ressler. See you around, Keen" he winked at her and then turned around as the elevator arrived, and she stepped into it.

Ressler was smiling as he walked towards his office. What a nice girl. She was beautiful, and it was adorable the way she was so nervous. It had been so long since he flirted like that, and he really was rooting for that old fox Cooper to hire the girl. He went to the break room to get a cup of coffee and then reached for his phone. He checked his emails, and then his messages, and was taking a sip of his cup when he reached the one-week old message from his mother.

"Elizabeth Keen - 202-789-7037"

He choked a bit as he recognized the name. Could it be her? His mother had said she was studying at the academy. It could be. He pondered for a minute and then put his phone back into his pocket, saving the number for later. If it was her, the last thing she needed was a phone call now.

x-x-x-x-x

"Alright, Ms. Keen. I'll get back to you with an answer in a few days."

"I'll be looking forward to that, Sir" she replied, and hoped it wasn't too forward of her to say that, as she shook Cooper's hand and excused herself from his office.

She was confident she had done a good job in there, presenting all her best traits and qualities, and with her excellent score at Quantico, she was sure there was a big chance she would be working there in no time.

As she left the elevator on the lobby she looked around, hoping to see the nice agent she had met before once again. As she didn't find him, she shook her head, laughing at herself for that high school behavior, and then headed to the front door. She kept his face in her head, his nice smile and eyes, and also his well-designed body, she would've been stupid to not have noticed it.

Then, as she stepped back into the street, walking towards the metro station, she thought about his name. It sounded familiar. Ressler, Ressler. Where had she heard that before?

She walked past the turnstile and ran down the escalator to catch the train that was stopped at the platform, and as she sat down on the car, it hit her. Donald Ressler, the man her mother had set her up a week ago.

She laughed alone and covered her mouth as she noticed the people looking at her. So that was Donald? She wouldn't mind going out with a Donald so much, now. As a reflection, she checked her phone, hoping that he had also made the connection. Deep inside, she wanted him to call, now.

x-x-x-x

It was half past eight and after the 5th co-worker stopping by his desk begging him to go home, he decided to close his lap top and just go home. It would be going home to an empty apartment, a frozen meal and something boring on tv, and although he thought his time would be much better used if he stayed in the office, he agreed that he would go crazy if he just kept doing that. It was, after all, the reason Audrey left.

As he walked to the elevator, she came back to his mind. He reached for his phone, searched for his mother's message, and hit the call button. What the hell.

She had just left shower and saw her phone blinking on the bedside table as she entered her room, so she jumped on the bed to reach it. It wasn't a contact, and she wondered if it was him. She hated to admit, but that elevator bump stayed in her head all afternoon. She sat up on the bed and took the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Uh.. Elizabeth...Keen?"

"Yes?" she held the urge to laugh at his adorable stammering.

"Oh, this is Ressler, Agent Donald Ressler. from this morning, remember?"

"Yes, sure. How did you get this number?" she knew, but it was funny to see how he would explain himself.

"Well, you won't believe it, but, my mom... well...my mom knows your mom, and apparently they have been talking about us, I mean...you and me... I mean..."

"I know, Donald." she reassured him, and he chuckled.

"So, coincidence, hun?"

"Some would say faith" They both smiled awkwardly.

"Uh... yeah. So...I was wondering if you... well, to please our mothers, you know? If you would agree to have dinner...with me... tomorrow night?"

She smiled, and held up a giggle, not to sound too excited.

"Well. If it's to please our mothers..." she joked. " Yes, I would love to."

"Ok, uh... so, can I pick you up at 7?"

"7 is fine. I'll text you my address"

"great. So, see you tomorrow, Keen."

"See you tomorrow...Ressler." they both hung up, and had silly grins in their faces. Maybe this set-by-our-moms date would be so terrible, after all.

x-x-x-x-x-x

She came rushing into her house and straight to her room at 6.30pm. Her mom barely noticed she had come home when she hit the shower, and then when he arrived at 7, and Kate meant to open the door, she ran ahead of her mother, ready wearing a blue dress, heels and her hair on a bun, with her bangs falling on her face gracefully.

"How on earth do you manage to get this ready and perfect in just 30 minutes?"

"I had a good example" she grinned at her mother. "My dad, of course."

Her mother scoffed, but had to agree, she was terrible and took more than 2 hours to get ready. She raised her eyebrows and waited for Liz to open the door.

"Mom? please?" she begged, indicating that her mom should go away before she opened the door, but Kate was just too curious.

"Oh, c'mon, you won't even let me look at him?" Liz made a face begging, so her mom rolled her eyes and moved back into the kitchen. She breathed, fixed her skirt and then opened the door.

He was so different from when she saw him at the FBI that she barely recognized him. He was wearing jeans and a shirt opened at the collar, with a leather jacket over it. His hair was gelled not so differently from when they met, and his eyes and smile were as charming and breathtaking as she remembered.

"Hey!" she smiled, and he needed a moment to recover from that view. If he had thought she was pretty when they met, wearing a responsible suit, with this lovely frolic dress she was more like a monument.

"Hi" he replied, and then cleaned his throat to stop from stammering. "Shall we go?"

"Yeah, sure" she reached for a coat and a purse and then shouted into the house. "Mom, I'm going, ok?" then chuckled embarrassed at him.

"Temporary measure, had to move back in with her."

"Oh, not a problem." he smiled and then put his hand hoovering on her back, without touching, but guiding her to his SUV.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she got into the car, and he entered on the driver's seat.

"Oh, this fancy place I know, I hope you'll like it"

"UUh, fancy, hun? Are you trying to score points with me, Donald?" she still found it funny to mock with his name, although she imagined he had heard the most common jokes already and it wouldn't be funny to invest on that. She tried to concentrate on his handsomeness rather than his name.

They arrived at the restaurant, only to find it cramped at the reception desk. He had a hard time fighting for a way towards the hostess, who gently told him there was no table for another 3 hours. He had forgotten to call in earlier to make a reservation, and thought it wouldn't be so hard to go over that, but he was wrong. He came back to her ashamed, and had to explain what he had done.

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. It's my fault. I should've called. I understand if you want to call it off."

"Wow, do you want to get rid of me already?" she smiled, and he shook his head desperately. Definitely not!

" I know a place, let's go." she took his hand and called the man to get his car back.

15 minutes, and they stopped at a simple and nearly empty pizza place. He frowned as they both stood in front of the door.

"Pizza, really? I'm not taking you to a pizza place on a date."

"Ok, then, Mr. fancy-pants. I'm taking you. You may not believe me, but this is the best pizza in DC. c'mon" and she waltzed her way into the place. He observed as she was greeted by the waiters, so she really knew the place, and sat down on the shabby booth with her pretty dress and high heels, not really caring for fancy or impressive. Can he love her, already?

He sat down in front of her and she shoved the menu to his face, pointing to a picture of what seemed a very tasty cheese pizza.

"It's margherita. It's cheese and tomatoes and basil. It's the best, believe me!"

"Ok then." he agreed, not even bothering to look at the menu, as she knew the options so well. A plump waiter approached and greeted her with a smile.

"Lizzy! How are you, darling?"

"I'm fine, Alfredo, and you?"

"Fine as usual, my dear. Who's your friend, here?" he looked at Ressler with judgmental eyes, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.

"This is Donald."

"Ah! Donald. Like the duck?" Alfredo and Liz laughed, but Donald was already sick of that joke, as he had endured it all his childhood, so all he did was raise his eyebrows.

"Sorry, sorry. Alfredo, please, bring us a margherita, and two beers. Do you drink beer?" One more surprise for the already surprising evening. She was ordering beers, not wine or those obnoxious sweet drinks the other women his mother had set him up with wanted. Pizza and beer, his kind of girl.

"Yes, sure!" he nodded to Alfredo, who scribbled on his notepad and then left them with a smile.

After Alfredo left, they remained with an awkward silence, being this the first time they would actually have an opportunity to talk. They looked at each other and laughed, embarrassed. He decided to start the talk.

"So, how's Quantico?" he wasn't sure talking about work was the best idea, but it was something they had in common. As long as this didn't become a whole "how to do well in the FBI" tutorial, he was fine with it. He just had to find a way to keep this woman in his life.

"Hard. so hard. Ugh!" she laughed, "But exciting. I guess you know how it is, right? It's one of those sufferings we like to go through, because we know the outcome can only be the best for you." He could see her excitement and bewilderment with the whole thing. He felt exactly the same as he left the academy.

"I know. how was the interview with Cooper, by the way?"

"Oh, I think it went well. But he hasn't called yet, so I'm starting to feel a bit anxious. How was your first interview?" she seemed really interested in him, so he thought he could impress her.

"Well, I just transitioned from the academy to the office, so it was a simple interview. Nothing impressive, like you. But then after two years I was put to lead one of the most important investigations in the bureau."

"Oh, really? what is it?"

"I can't tell you. It's classified" he played, flirting with his eyes. Theirs beers came in and he was glad, because his throat was dry.

"Oh, c'mon! You can't start something and then not finish it! Tell me the basics, at least!"

"OH, well, ok. As it seems you'll be a fellow agent soon, I'll tell you. I'm the lead agent on the search for number 4 in the list of most wanted."

She almost choked on her beer. "Oh, God, really? Raymond Reddington?" he was impressed she knew.

"So you know about him?"

"Who doesn't? I actually studied his case for my master's degree. I'm a profiler, you see?" she used the official designation she would have if she passed the interview, just to impress him.

"Oh. wow. Sounds important. Can you profile him?"

"I bet you have already profiles done of him."

"yes. a few. nothing very helpful. Let's see if you can".

She thought for a few minutes, and then gulped her beer before starting to talk.

"He's a loner. He keeps his distance. He travels freely through foreign lands. He's rootless. He would get just as comfortable with a glass of scotch in a fancy restaurant as he would in a cave with rebels or sharing his dinner in some hole-in-the-wall noodle shop. His closest friends are strangers. He knows that tight bonds can make him vulnerable, so he's careful not to have any."

"Wow. that's good. That's...actually useful"

"Stop! You're flattering me"

"No, I mean it. I had 3 different profiles of him in 4 years, and none of them were as close as yours. That could mean something..."

"mean what?" she furrowed her eyebrows and smiled at him, as their pizza arrived and he kept the mystery as Alfredo served each a slice.

"Donald!" she insisted as he took a bit from his pizza.

"Wow, this is definitely the best pizza I've ever eaten!" he said, and then smirked as he saw she was a bit anxious because of his lack of response. "It means that I could talk to Cooper, maybe steal you to my task force"

"You wouldn't" she smiled, suspiciously, as she started to eat.

"Oh, I would. Would you like it?"

"Are you kidding me?" she squealed with her mouth full. He laughed and they paused their conversation to enjoy their meal.

A couple of hours later, they had talked about a lot of things. After leaving the restaurant, they walked around a park nearby and had ice cream for desert, and as they sat on a bench, she explained briefly about her situation with her ex-husband, as he told her about her father being a cop before he passed away, and being a role model to him, and also told her about Audrey and his mild obsession with the case.

"Maybe you do need me to help you close this case before you go nuts" she exclaimed, and he whispered, his eyes locked on her, mesmerized.

"Yes, maybe." her eyes found his and she understood what he meant. She took a leap of faith and leaned in, giving him a quick kiss on the lips, and then stopped inches from him, waiting for his reaction.

He reached for her neck, placing his palms on the sides of her head as he pulled it towards him, giving her a long and intense kiss. She licked his lips smoothly with the tip of her tongue and he opened his mouth, giving her the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

They were nearly breathless when they stopped the kiss and had to take a moment to recover, never taking their eyes of each other, in what seemed to be the first of a thousand kisses that would follow.

He took her home a little after midnight and they talked a bit more before she left his car. As she took the seat belt off, she leaned and kissed him again, another hot and long kiss that got them begging for more. He laughed as he held her head close, and she opened her eyes, confused.

"What?" she asked, and he licked his lips before answering.

"Nothing, it's just... I might actually thank my mother for setting me up this time." she smiled in return, thinking the same thing. "She's going to be impossible to handle."

She kissed him again quickly before leaving the car, and then turning back to look at him through the window.

"So, will you call me later?"

"One thing, Keen. If I become your superior, we won't be able to... fraternize, you know?"

"Well, Agent Ressler, how good are you at keeping secrets?" she squinted, mischievously. "Just call me, ok?"

He nodded. He would most definitely call her, with the job or not. She smiled again, and then walked towards the door as he observed, and waited for her to go inside before leaving.


End file.
